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Online Portfolios
Online PortfoliosHow to Use Copywriting Skills to Make That Portfolio Stand Out
Online PortfoliosHow to Use Copywriting Skills to Make That Portfolio Stand Out
What Is an Online Portfolio?
What Is an Online Portfolio?• A self-promoting, professional website that contains examples of
and information about your work, skills, goals, etc.
What Is an Online Portfolio?• A self-promoting, professional website that contains examples of
and information about your work, skills, goals, etc.
• A space-saving way to fit another impressive goodie onto your résumé
What Is an Online Portfolio?• A self-promoting, professional website that contains examples of
and information about your work, skills, goals, etc.
• A space-saving way to fit another impressive goodie onto your résumé
Simply add your portfolio’s URL at the top of your résumé.
Why Have One?
Why Have One?• As a writer, you can offer physical examples of your work. Why not
show it off?
Why Have One?• As a writer, you can offer physical examples of your work. Why not
show it off?
• Building an online presence is important for any writer. You need to prove that you’re serious about your craft: the written word.
Why Have One?• As a writer, you can offer physical examples of your work. Why not
show it off?
• Building an online presence is important for any writer. You need to prove that you’re serious about your craft: the written word.
• A successful business uses a website to promote its products/services.
Why Have One?• As a writer, you can offer physical examples of your work. Why not
show it off?
• Building an online presence is important for any writer. You need to prove that you’re serious about your craft: the written word.
• A successful business uses a website to promote its products/services.
Your skill set is your business.
Why Have One?• As a writer, you can offer physical examples of your work. Why not
show it off?
• Building an online presence is important for any writer. You need to prove that you’re serious about your craft: the written word.
• A successful business uses a website to promote its products/services.
Your skill set is your business. The portfolio is your promotional website.
Why Have One?• As a writer, you can offer physical examples of your work. Why not
show it off?
• Building an online presence is important for any writer. You need to prove that you’re serious about your craft: the written word.
• A successful business uses a website to promote its products/services.
Your skill set is your business. The portfolio is your promotional website.
What Does a Promotional Website Do?
What Does a Promotional Website Do?• Convinces readers that a product is worth a try
What Does a Promotional Website Do?• Convinces readers that a product is worth a try
• Mixes engaging content with strong advertising copy to keep readers interested in the product
What Does a Promotional Website Do?• Convinces readers that a product is worth a try
• Mixes engaging content with strong advertising copy to keep readers interested in the product
• Shows off the company’s branding—including any logos, taglines, colors, etc. associated with its name
What Does a Promotional Website Do?• Convinces readers that a product is worth a try
• Mixes engaging content with strong advertising copy to keep readers interested in the product
• Shows off the company’s branding—including any logos, taglines, colors, etc. associated with its name
• Follows the basic SEO guidelines to get a good Google ranking
Here’s an example of an online portfolio…
This portfolio includes three essential things …
1. Content
1. Content• Samples—screenshots or copies of writing, editing, and
design work
1. Content• Samples—screenshots or copies of writing, editing, and
design work
2. Branding
1. Content• Samples—screenshots or copies of writing, editing, and
design work
2. Branding• Logos, colors, a layout, etc. that make the work
recognizable as the author’s
1. Content• Samples—screenshots or copies of writing, editing, and
design work
2. Branding• Logos, colors, a layout, etc. that make the work
recognizable as the author’s
3. Advertising copy
1. Content• Samples—screenshots or copies of writing, editing, and
design work
2. Branding• Logos, colors, a layout, etc. that make the work
recognizable as the author’s
3. Advertising copy• Introductions to samples and background information
about the author and their work
Content
Branding: color scheme
Branding: Font, layout
Content
Branding: color scheme
Branding: Font, layout
Advertising co
py:
Introducti
on to th
e author
Content
Let’s look at each of these features more
closely…
Content
Content• Shoot for 2–5 samples for each category you include (e.g.,
writing, editing, design)
Content• Shoot for 2–5 samples for each category you include (e.g.,
writing, editing, design)
• Vary your samples
Content• Shoot for 2–5 samples for each category you include (e.g.,
writing, editing, design)
• Vary your samples Choose pieces that showcase different aspects of your ability (e.g.,
technical writing vs. creative writing)
Content• Shoot for 2–5 samples for each category you include (e.g.,
writing, editing, design)
• Vary your samples Choose pieces that showcase different aspects of your ability (e.g.,
technical writing vs. creative writing)
• Tailor your portfolio’s sample selection to the field you want a job in.
Content• Shoot for 2–5 samples for each category you include (e.g.,
writing, editing, design)
• Vary your samples Choose pieces that showcase different aspects of your ability (e.g.,
technical writing vs. creative writing)
• Tailor your portfolio’s sample selection to the field you want a job in. For instance, if you want a job writing copy in the beauty industry,
the majority of your samples should relate to beauty.
• Keep Copyright Laws in Mind
• Keep Copyright Laws in Mind Many employers (including WritersDomain) take full ownership of
your work once you are paid, so you cannot legally use that work in your portfolio.
• Keep Copyright Laws in Mind Many employers (including WritersDomain) take full ownership of
your work once you are paid, so you cannot legally use that work in your portfolio.
See the WritersDomain Terms and Conditions.
• Online Work
• Online Work For online work that you legally own, provide screenshots and
links.
• Online Work For online work that you legally own, provide screenshots and
links.
This keeps your portfolio looking professional and prevents your content from being flagged for plagiarism.
• Online Work For online work that you legally own, provide screenshots and
links.
This keeps your portfolio looking professional and prevents your portfolio from being cited as plagiarism.
See the following example . . .
Portfolio Content—this is a screen shot of your
work
Branding
Branding• Good branding ensures that your personality and work
philosophies shine through.
Branding• Good branding ensures that your personality and work
philosophies shine through.
• It grabs readers’ attention and sets you apart.
Branding• Good branding ensures that your personality and work
philosophies shine through.
• It grabs readers’ attention and sets you apart.
• Your personal branding includes any logos, taglines, color schemes, etc. that you want to be associated with your name.
Branding• Good branding ensures that your personality and work
philosophies shine through.
• It grabs readers’ attention and sets you apart.
• Your personal branding includes any logos, taglines, color schemes, etc. that you want to be associated with your name.
• It can be as simple as a distinct color/font scheme.
Here are some good branding features in
our example portfolio…
Lots of white space
Lots of white space
Clean
text
,
easy
-to-
read
font
Simple
color
scheme
Lots of white space
Clean
text
,
easy
-to-
read
font
Here are a couple of websites that show
some branding strengths and weaknesses…
Simple,
recogniza
bl
e logo
Simple,
recogniza
bl
e logo
Catchy
phrase
Simple,
recogniza
bl
e logo
Bold
color
scheme
Catchy
phrase
Simple,
recogniza
bl
e logo
Bold
color
scheme
Varied
version
s of t
he
logo
Catchy
phrase
Large, bold
business name
Visible contact information
Large, bold
business name
Lots of white space
Visible contact information
Large, bold
business name
Lots of white space
Visible contact information
Competing headlines
Large, bold
business name
Large, bold business
name
Large, bold business
name
Branding: a catchy jingle
Visible contact information
Large, bold business
name
Branding: a catchy jingle
Visible contact information
Large, bold business
name
Crowded text & images feel
busy
Branding: a catchy jingle
Strong Advertising Copy
Strong Advertising Copy• Create actionable titles (e.g., “Take a Look at My Designs” vs.
“My Designs”)
Strong Advertising Copy• Create actionable titles (e.g., “Take a Look at My Designs” vs.
“My Designs”)
• The most important information comes first.
Strong Advertising Copy• Create actionable titles (e.g., “Take a Look at My Designs” vs.
“My Designs”)
• The most important information comes first.
• Keep paragraphs short—white space is key.
Strong Advertising Copy• Create actionable titles (e.g., “Take a Look at My Designs” vs.
“My Designs”)
• The most important information comes first.
• Keep paragraphs short—white space is key.
• Use a distinct and appropriate tone.
Strong Advertising Copy• Create actionable titles (e.g., “Take a Look at My Designs” vs.
“My Designs”)
• The most important information comes first.
• Keep paragraphs short—white space is key.
• Use a distinct and appropriate tone.
• Include clear and useful subheadings.
Strong Advertising Copy• Create actionable titles (e.g., “Take a Look at My Designs” vs.
“My Designs”)
• The most important information comes first.
• Keep paragraphs short—white space is key.
• Use a distinct and appropriate tone.
• Include clear and useful subheadings.
• Incorporate a call to action into the text.
Let’s look at how this is done in our
example portfolio…
Actionable title
Actionable title Short paragraph
Actionable title
Conversation
al &
professional
tone
Short paragraph
Call to action
Actionable title
Conversation
al &
professional
tone
Short paragraph
Here’s some advertising copy that
appears before an example article…
Advertising copy: basically a sales pitch for your work
Link
Advertising copy: basically a sales pitch for your work
Building the Portfolio
Building the Portfolio 1. Choose a publishing platform: WordPress, Weebly, Blogger, etc.
Building the Portfolio 1. Choose a publishing platform: WordPress, Weebly, Blogger, etc.
2. Start the site and choose a URL.
Building the Portfolio 1. Choose a publishing platform: WordPress, Weebly, Blogger, etc.
2. Start the site and choose a URL.
3. Decide what types of content you want to showcase: writing samples, editing samples, design samples, etc.
Building the Portfolio 1. Choose a publishing platform: WordPress, Weebly, Blogger, etc.
2. Start the site and choose a URL.
3. Decide what types of content you want to showcase: writing samples, editing samples, design samples, etc.
4. Choose your branding: color scheme, font scheme, logo, etc.
Building the Portfolio 1. Choose a publishing platform: WordPress, Weebly, Blogger, etc.
2. Start the site and choose a URL.
3. Decide what types of content you want to showcase: writing samples, editing samples, design samples, etc.
4. Choose your branding: color scheme, font scheme, logo, etc.
5. Start designing & create different tabs: About Me, Résumé, Writing, Editing, Contact Me, etc.
Building the Portfolio 1. Choose a publishing platform: WordPress, Weebly, Blogger, etc.
2. Start the site and choose a URL.
3. Decide what types of content you want to showcase: writing samples, editing samples, design samples, etc.
4. Choose your branding: color scheme, font scheme, logo, etc.
5. Start designing & create different tabs: About Me, Résumé, Writing, Editing, Contact Me, etc.
6. Write your copy & attach your content.
Helpful Links
Helpful Links• Using Weebly to create a portfolio—http://
slcceportfolio.weebly.com/beginning-tutorials.html
Helpful Links• Using Weebly to create a portfolio—http://
slcceportfolio.weebly.com/beginning-tutorials.html
• Using Wordpress to create a portfolio—http://en.support.wordpress.com/portfolios/
Helpful Links• Using Weebly to create a portfolio—http://
slcceportfolio.weebly.com/beginning-tutorials.html
• Using Wordpress to create a portfolio—http://en.support.wordpress.com/portfolios/
• 7 Important Copywriting skills—http://jasondelodovici.com/7-most-important-copywriting-skills-you-need-to-know/
